Josie Gibson, the television presenter best known for her victory on the reality show Big Brother, has recently spoken openly about her battle with weight and her diagnosis of gout. The 40-year-old star, who won Big Brother in 2010 with 77 per cent of the vote, has shared insights into the physical and emotional challenges she has faced since rising to fame.
After winning Big Brother at the age of 25, Josie experienced sudden fame that brought with it intense public scrutiny, especially regarding her weight. She revealed to Mail Online that she used to cry daily due to the trolling she endured after the show. "I used to cry on a daily basis after coming out of Big Brother," she said, highlighting the emotional toll that accompanied her newfound celebrity.
This week, Josie disclosed her recent diagnosis of gout, an inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid, leading to painful joints, particularly in the toes, ankles, knees, and feet. Speaking to The Mirror, she attributed the condition to her lifestyle while filming the Channel 5 travelogue Around The World In First Class. "I caught a lot of flights, I drank a lot of champagne, I ate a lot of rich food and I had little sleep. That's how I ended up getting gout," she explained. Josie admitted that she initially thought gout was a condition only affecting older men but recognised that her luxurious lifestyle had contributed to her illness. She recounted, "I kept saying to the nurse: 'My toes keep hurting'... but I have been living quite a lavish life."
Josie's journey with weight loss began in earnest in 2013 when she shed six stone over the course of a year through healthy eating and exercise, after hiring a personal trainer. She also released two fitness DVDs during that period. Following the birth of her son Reggie in 2018, she changed her approach, cutting refined sugar from her diet and placing less emphasis on her weight. She noted, "I put on around four-and-a-half stone while I was pregnant. I realised that there was more important things to focus on in life, rather than losing weight and hating my body."
Despite her progress, Josie has been candid about the impact of negative comments across social media. She recalled a particularly harsh message on Twitter in 2020 from a user who described her as "absolutely vile" and criticised her weight gain. Josie responded directly, acknowledging the rudeness of the remark. Reflecting on her experiences, she said in an Instagram post that she had "spent years hating my body" and had even at one point "come very close one day to ending it all" due to the cruelty she faced.
In addition to her personal disclosures, Josie is preparing for a new Channel 5 programme titled The 1970s Diet. In the show, she will adopt a diet typical of the 1970s, which includes boiled potatoes, liver, and spam, foregoing the more indulgent fare she encountered during her recent travel series. Josie noted that although the 1970s diet might not appear healthy by modern standards, the obesity rate at that time was about 10 per cent in the UK, a figure that has since tripled. "I was surprised by that. I think of the 1970s and I think of madeira cake, trifles, angel delight… it doesn't scream healthy," she said.
Josie Gibson’s story reflects a multi-faceted experience with body image, health, and public scrutiny, alongside ongoing efforts to manage her wellbeing and share her journey with a wide audience.
Source: Noah Wire Services